Vehicle with auxiliary speed control

ABSTRACT

In the drive from a prime mover to a transaxle, different ratios of drive pulleys are selectively available to give varying ranges for each speed for which the transaxle makes provision. High- and low-speed belts are side by side and selectively effective according to the position of a belt tightener which may be lifted from either belt and shifted to registry and engagement with the other.

United States Patent lnventor Peter P. Konyha Brillion, Wis.

Appl. No. 811,030

Filed Mar. 27, 1969 Patented Apr. 20, 1971 Assignee Ariens CompanyBrillion, Wis.

VEHICLE WITH AUXILIARY SPEED CONTROL 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 180/70,

74/217 Int. Cl Bk 17/00 Field of Search 180/70,

(MST); 74/217 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,151,8378/1915 Tannewitz 74/217 2,150,456 3/1939 Pen-ine ...1.80/70(UXMST)2,419,850 4/1947 Norton '74/217 2,510,325 6/1950 Anderson. /70 3,062,06511/1962 Shaw 74/217 3,311,186 3/1967 Kamlukin 180/70 PrimaryExaminer-Harry A. Levy Attorney-Wheeler, Wheeler, House & ClemencyABSTRACT: In the drive from a prime mover to a transaxle, differentratios of drive pulleys are selectively available to give varying rangesfor each speed for which the transaxle makes provision. Highandlow-speed belts are side by side and selectively effective according tothe position of a belt tightener which may be lifted from either beltand shifted to registry and engagement with the other.

PATENTEU APR20 ran SHEET 1 BF 2 VNVENTOW. WE use P; NOAH/WW TTORNH-4$PAT EENWU M20 as?! SHEET 2 OF 2 VlEllilllClLlE WITH AUXILIARY SPEEDCONTROL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The conventional transaxle providesfor a number of drive ratios to the drive wheels of a vehicle but therange may not be adequate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The drive to the transaxle is effectedselectively through either of two V-belts which operate over pulleys ofdiffering ratio. These V-belts are preferably side by side. Thearrangement is such that power is transmitted only when a V- belt istensioned by an idler. The ratio of the pulleys over which one V-belt istrained is different from that of the pulleys over which the otherV-belt is trained.

At a point intermediate the driving and the driven shaft there is littledifference in the level of the upper runs of the respective belts. Atthis level, a single idler maybe engaged selectively with either belt. Aspring-biased bellcrank actuates the idler in a direction to tension thebelt with which it is in registry. The idler shaft is axially adjustableby a bellcrank to register the idler with the selected belt.

The equivalent of a clutch is provided by means of a foot pedal linkedto the bellcrank and opposed to the'bias, to lift the idler fromengagement with the belt in order that it may be shifted freely fromengagement with one belt to engagement with the other. A barrier betweenthe belts requires that the idler be lifted and prevents movementhorizontally directly from one belt to the other.

The difference in ratio between the belts is obviously effective uponevery different speed for which the transaxle is designed. This makes itpossible to have speeds in the transaxle widely spaced, and still toprovide intermediate speeds for use when desired, and also to provide avery low speed, below the normal transaxle lower limits, if this isneeded.

The invention is particularly applicable to a tractor having a primemover with a vertical drive shaft but is 'by no means limited thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a vehicleequipped with a device embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view fragmentarily showing the vehicle frame as itappears with the superstructure removed and the frame turned to go inthe opposite direction from that shown in FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 (sheet 1) is a view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 (sheet 1) is an enlarged detail view on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The vehicle shown is intendedparticularly for use as an agricultural tractor but the invention isapplicable to any vehicle having need for additional speed ratios. Thevehicle frame 6 is supported on front wheels8 and drive wheels 10, thelatter having a transaxle gear housing 12 containing means for changingthe ratio between the transaxle input shaft 14 and the driven shafts l6and 18 to which the wheels are attached. The shift lever 20 mounted onthe transaxle housing 112 provides for the usual adjustment of the ratioof gears within the housing (not shown). A seat isprovided at 22 for theoperator and the front wheels 8 are steered by means of the steeringwheel 24.

On the frame is the engine 26. From its drive shaft (not shown) power istransmitted by means of a belt 28 to a larger horizontal pulley30connected by bevel gearing at 32 with a drive shaft 34 on whichpulleys 36 and 38 are mounted side by side. The parallel shaft 14 whichprovides the input'to the transaxle 12 has pulleys 40 and 42complementary to pulleys 36 and 38 as clearly shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.3.

A V-belt 44 is trained over pulleys 36 and 40. V-belt 46 is trained overpulleys 38 and 42.

Pivoted by pintle 48 to a frame member 50 is a bellcrank 52 subject tothe bias of the tension spring 54. Below the pintle 48 a link 56connects the bellcrank with the arm 56 of a rock shaft 60, which hasanother arm 62 having pin 64 which rides in slot 65 in a lever 66pivotally mounted on rock shaft 67 and carrying foot pedal 68.

Idler 70 is mounted on bearings-72 carried by a squared shaft 74reciprocable through sleeve 76 of corresponding cross section, thesleeve being mounted 6n the bellcrank 52 as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.The rod 78 is provided with handle 80 and is in swiveled connection at82 with the end of the squared shaft 74 as a means of sliding thesquared shaft through the sleeve 76 to register the idler 70 selectivelywith belt 44 or belt 46. In FIG. 4, the idler is shown engaged with belt44. The handle rod 78 projects through an opening 84 in the frame, wherethe handle 80 is readily accessible to the operator as shown in FIG. 1and FIG. 4.

Except when the respective belts are tensioned by the idler, they do nottransmit motion between the pulleys over which they are trained. Whenthe idler is engaged with belt 44 as in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the drivefrom shaft 34 to the input shaft 14 of the transaxle occurs throughpulleys 36 and 40. When the idler is engaged with belt 46 (which isshown slack in FIG. 3) motion is transmitted from shaft 34 to shaft 14through the pulleys 38 and 42. Obviously, this gives an entirelydifferent ratio of motion transmission into the transaxle.

There is, obviously, some difference in level of the respective beltsaccording to whether they are under tension or free of tension. If bothare free of tension, they are approximately at the same level in thelocation where the idler 70 is disposed for adjustment between them. Toallow for any difference of level and at the same time to relieve theidler of stress at the time of adjustment, the operator simply exertsthrust on the pedal 68, whereby the link 56 oscillates the bellcrank 52counterclockwise as viewed in FlG. 3, thereby overcoming spring 54 andlifting the idler free of belt engagement. When thus freed of stress,the idler is readily shifted from engagement with one belt to engagementwith the other by simply reciprocating the rod 78 by means of handle 80Particularly in view of the fact that the belts yield under pressure ofthe idler it becomes desirable to prevent direct lateral movement of theidler from one belt toward the plane of the other. For this purpose, arod 86 and an arm 88 projecting from the frame support a barrier plate90 between the two belts in a position such as to require actuation ofthe bellcrank lever 52 to lift the idler 70 bodily from a belt withwhich it has been engaged before the idler can be moved into registrywith the other belt, and lowered into engagement therewith.

The arrangement provides a simple and inexpensive means of enlarging thedrive ratios for a vehicle such as that described. It will be understoodthat in some aspects the invention is not limited to use in connectionwith a vehicle having a transaxle as shown.

lclaim:

1. The combination with a power shaft and a drive shaft, of a pluralityof parallel sets of pulleys for connecting said shafts, Vbelts trainedover the respective pulleys and ineffective to transmit motiontherebetween except when tensioned, an idler for selectively tensioninga particular V-belt, means mounting the idler for adjustment betweenpositions of registry and engagement with respective belts for thetensioning thereof, and means for shifting the idler from registry withone belt to registry with another, said last mentioned means comprisinga bellcrank, an idler support mounted on the bellcrank and upon whichsaid idler iscarried, means for adjusting the idler with reference tothe'bellcrank to the aforesaid positions of registry with respectivebelts, and means for biasing the bellcrank in a direction to engage theidler with the V belt with which it is in registry.

2. A combination according to claim 1 in further combination with a footpedal having a link connection with the bellcrank for the oscillationthereof against the bias of said biasing means, and a mechanicalconnection for the shifting of said idler between said positions.

3. A combination according to claim 2 in which the means for shiftingthe idler to and from V-belt engagement comprises a spring secured tosaid bellcrank for biasing the latter to engage the idler with theV-belt with which it is in registry.

4. A combination according to claim 3 in which said bellcrank has abearing sleeve and the means for mounting the idler includes a shaftreciprocable through said sleeve in .a direction to move said idler fromregistry with one belt into registry with another when said idler isdisengaged from belt contact.

5. A vehicle comprising a plurality of wheels including drive wheels, anengine, a power shaft having means for actuating it from the engine, adrive shaft having means for communicating motion to the driven vehiclewheels, a first set of pulleys mounted on the power shaft, a second setof pulleys mounted on the drive shaft, said pulleys being V-pulleysarranged in pairs wherein one pulley of each pair is mounted on one ofeach of said shafts, V-belts trained over the pulleys of respectivepairs and sufficiently loose thereon to transmit no substantial motionfrom the power shaft to the drive shaft except when subjected to idlerpressure, an idler for exerting pressure upon a V-belt with which it isin registry, oscillatory means supporting said idler for movement to andfrom V-belt pressure engagement, a spring biasing said oscillatory meansin a direction to press said idler into engagement with a V-belt withwhich it is in registry, a shaft mounting said idler for axial movementwith respect to said oscillatory means, a clutch pedal havinglink-connection with said oscillatory means and constituting means fordisengaging the idler from belt engagement in opposition to the bias ofsaid spring, and means for axially moving the idler from registry withone V-belt into registry with another when disengaged by said clutchpedal.

6. A vehicle according to claim 5 in which said oscillatory means has asleeve of noncircular cross section, said idler having a supportingantifriction bearing and a shaft of noncircular cross sectionnonrotatably mounted in and axially slidable through said sleeve andprovided with means for manually shifting it axially of the idler.

1. The combination with a power shaft and a drive shaft, of a pluralityof parallel sets of pulleys for connecting said shafts, V-belts traineDover the respective pulleys and ineffective to transmit motiontherebetween except when tensioned, an idler for selectively tensioninga particular V-belt, means mounting the idler for adjustment betweenpositions of registry and engagement with respective belts for thetensioning thereof, and means for shifting the idler from registry withone belt to registry with another, said last mentioned means comprisinga bellcrank, an idler support mounted on the bellcrank and upon whichsaid idler is carried, means for adjusting the idler with reference tothe bellcrank to the aforesaid positions of registry with respectivebelts, and means for biasing the bellcrank in a direction to engage theidler with the V-belt with which it is in registry.
 2. A combinationaccording to claim 1 in further combination with a foot pedal having alink connection with the bellcrank for the oscillation thereof againstthe bias of said biasing means, and a mechanical connection for theshifting of said idler between said positions.
 3. A combinationaccording to claim 2 in which the means for shifting the idler to andfrom V-belt engagement comprises a spring secured to said bellcrank forbiasing the latter to engage the idler with the V-belt with which it isin registry.
 4. A combination according to claim 3 in which saidbellcrank has a bearing sleeve and the means for mounting the idlerincludes a shaft reciprocable through said sleeve in a direction to movesaid idler from registry with one belt into registry with another whensaid idler is disengaged from belt contact.
 5. A vehicle comprising aplurality of wheels including drive wheels, an engine, a power shafthaving means for actuating it from the engine, a drive shaft havingmeans for communicating motion to the driven vehicle wheels, a first setof pulleys mounted on the power shaft, a second set of pulleys mountedon the drive shaft, said pulleys being V-pulleys arranged in pairswherein one pulley of each pair is mounted on one of each of saidshafts, V-belts trained over the pulleys of respective pairs andsufficiently loose thereon to transmit no substantial motion from thepower shaft to the drive shaft except when subjected to idler pressure,an idler for exerting pressure upon a V-belt with which it is inregistry, oscillatory means supporting said idler for movement to andfrom V-belt pressure engagement, a spring biasing said oscillatory meansin a direction to press said idler into engagement with a V-belt withwhich it is in registry, a shaft mounting said idler for axial movementwith respect to said oscillatory means, a clutch pedal havinglink-connection with said oscillatory means and constituting means fordisengaging the idler from belt engagement in opposition to the bias ofsaid spring, and means for axially moving the idler from registry withone V-belt into registry with another when disengaged by said clutchpedal.
 6. A vehicle according to claim 5 in which said oscillatory meanshas a sleeve of noncircular cross section, said idler having asupporting antifriction bearing and a shaft of noncircular cross sectionnonrotatably mounted in and axially slidable through said sleeve andprovided with means for manually shifting it axially of the idler.